Ever since winter loosed its icy grip on the wonderful motorcycle roads of northern New Mexico, I have wanted to take a tour up there to visit the 7 historic markers in the northwest corner of our state. Before I got around to it, the coronavirus interfered and instead of going on my ride I sat on my couch trying to decide if it was safe to head up there. I finally decided I would risk it and lo and behold the Native American communities up in those parts sprouted a full on outbreak. I almost cancelled my outing but the weather forecast the last few days was just too appealing and I couldn’t resist. I figured speeding along at 70 mph it would be easy to dodge all those virus-laden droplets floating around. As additional precautions, I took all my food with me to avoid going anywhere near any restaurants, and camped out to avoid a hotel. The only thing remotely resembling human interaction was going to gas stations, which I figured was ok if I kept my helmet closed, wore disposable gloves and didn’t go inside the building.

Monday morning I headed west on I-40 to Thoreau then north on 371 to the Bisti Wilderness Historical Marker. No way you could catch a virus out there, unless it was one transmitted by tumbleweeds. I held my breath through Shiprock and continued on up to the Four Corners Monument which was closed! Oh no! I hope I can talk richard into accepting a photo of me, my bike and big ugly CLOSED sign instead of the New Mexico marker at the monument. Having run out of New Mexico territory heading west, I turned around and went east to Aztec. Many thanks to a friend of mine for letting me camp on her beautiful property in the Animas River Valley just a few miles north of town. In the morning I continued east on wonderful Hwy 64 through the super fun canyons between Bloomfield and Dulce (great ride!) and on into Chama. I dispatched the short out-and-back up to the Cumbres Pass Historic Marker at the New Mexico - Colorado border in short order (exhiliratingly short, actually). From there I proceeded south through Tierra Amaria, past Ghost Ranch, turned right at Abiquiu Dam and continued on home through Coyote and Cuba.

The weather was perfect: sunny and cool with minimal wind considering it is spring in New Mexico. It was cool enough that I actually turned on the electrics for the run up to Cumbres Pass (what with the wind chill and all). Unlike the wintry looking photos that Karl Zuercher took up on the pass a week or so ago, greenery was busting out all over the place during my visit.

All in all, it was a great ride and hopefully I didn’t pick up any gremlins.

All the details about the Riding Challenge, organized this year by richard Strohmeyer, are available here: